Mechanism of Magnoliae Flos and Xanthii Fructus herb pair in treatment of allergic rhinitis based on network pharmacology

Objective: To explore the molecular mechanism of Magnoliae Flos and Xanthii Fructus herb pair for allergic rhinitis based on network pharmacology. Methods: From the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database, Uniprot database, and Gene Cards database, the relevant chemical constituents information, pharmacokinetic information and hub target of allergic rhinitis were obtained. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by STRING online database, analyzed and showed by the Cytoscape software. The screened target information was analyzed by the Metascape database for Gene Ontology biological function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. Results: Main components of Magnoliae Flos and Xanthii Fructus herb pair, such as aloe-emodin, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol and Yangambin, depend on the interaction of Nitric Oxide Synthase 3, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Caspase-3 and other functions involve G protein-coupled (amine) receptor activity, RNA polymerase II basic transcription factor binding, protease binding, heme binding, and integrin binding;can regulate calcium signal pathway, serotonergic synapse, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signal pathway, tryptophan inflammatory mediator regulation pathway, estrogen signal pathway alone or in combination, and play a role in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Conclusion: Magnoliae Flos combined with Xanthii Fructus can regulate biomolecular network in multiple targets and pathways to treat allergic rhinitis.

The Fruits of Xanthium sibiricum Patr: A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Toxicity

In recent years,drug development and research have gradually shifted from chemical synthesis to biopharmaceutical and natural drugs.Natural medicines,such as traditional Chinese medicine,have been among the first studied because of their long medicinal history,simplicity,and the relatively low cost of research.Among them,Xanthii Fructus(XF)is famous for the treatment of sinusitis.In this article,the achievements of research on XF from 1953 to 2020 are systematically reviewed,focusing on the aspects of chemical constituents,pharmacological effects,clinical applications,toxicity and side effects,and processing methods.To date,there have been significant advances in both the phytochemistry and pharmacology of XF.Some traditional uses have been validated and clarified in modern pharmacological studies.However,its mechanism of action in the treatment of allergic diseases has not been satisfactorily explained.Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to rationally develop new drugs and to elucidate the therapeutic potential of XF.A comprehensive evaluation of XF and an understanding of network pharmacology are also needed.

Comparison of Granules for Prescription and Classical Decoctions by High-performance Thin-layer Chromatography-fingerprint Analysis

Objective: The so?called granules for prescription have been developed about 20 years ago as a new form of modernizing and simplification of the classical decoction common in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practice. Due to actual problems in Germany/Europe, which are caused by the lack of quality monographs and judicial classification of granules for prescription, the aim of the study was a comparison of the chemical composition of commercial granules versus decoctions. Taking an example, decoctions, commercial granules, and organic extracts of two well?established TCM herbal drugs, Scrophulariae Radix and Xanthii Fructus, were examined in their specific composition. Methods: Using high?performance thin?layer chromatography (HPTLC) for fingerprint analysis of different batches of herbal drugs and samples from various suppliers of Xanthii Fructus and Scrophulariae Radix were critically examined. The decoctions were prepared according to traditional rules, while the granules were dissolved in water in accordance with actual regulations. Furthermore, organic extracts of the plant material were examined and compared with aqueous extracts. Results: It could be demonstrated, that in some cases, there are remarkable differences in the specific composition between granules from different suppliers, the classical aqueous decoction and the organic extract used for the HPTLC fingerprinting. On the other hand, few examples exist for good comparability of decoctions and commercial granules. Conclusion: After critical evaluation of the above results, it can be questioned, if there is a so?called phytoequivalence between decoctions and commercial granules for prescription used in TCM practice.